RIVALS Kingsmith Eng B and Kingsmith (Peel-Walker) served up a marathon that lasted a couple of minutes over two hours.

The pace was fast and furious in the Concorde Handicap League meeting between the runaway leaders of Division Three, Kingsmith MPW, and the mid-table Division One team, Kingsmith B.

Kingsmith B won by 368-349, never relinquishing the early lead they established after three sets, but they were seriously tested.

Kingsmith PW pulled back points in four of the remaining six games.

John Langfield for the B team fought tooth and nail to gain two points against handicap.

Nine came in his first set against Jim Hodson, whose league record speaks for itself as he is joint second in Division Three ‘averages’ with 89%, along with son Mike Hodson and headed only by teammate Ian Charlton with 93%.

Against Charlton in his second match, Langfield conceded two points to handicap and lost 40-41.

In his match with Aiden Jewitt, Langfield took more of the initiative but the nine points handicap he was conceding proved to be too great.

Chris Williams and Ian Charlton had started the match off in great style and though giving away five points handicap, Williams edged the set by 40-39.

The competitiveness lasted all evening, with Williams dropping points to both Jewitt and Hodson.

In most handicap matches there is usually one performance which either wins or loses the tie. So it was in this match.

Peter Fox for Kingsmith B was outstanding. Back marker on +10 he was conceding 8, 11 and 15 points to the opposition trio, yet he still managed to gain 30 points overall against handicap.

He improved with each set he played, with Charlton at the receiving end of an 11-9, 11-4, 11-7, 11-1 hammering, making Fox a 44-29 victor after adding the handicap.

Kingsmith A are the current leaders of Section A with 1921 points from five matches.

Deighton A lead Section B with 1856 points from five games, but Woodfield Park A with four played are in hot pursuit.

Marsh Con C narrowly lead Section C from March Con D by 1473 points to 1465 with two matches to play.

In Section D, Scissett A, with only three matches played, appear to be best placed for the run-in.